Recommending Story-first games

[Mystic]

I agree with that for the most part but I do also think personal interpretation plays a bigger role as there are a few games that do have a good amount of lewd scenes ive played feel very story orientated to me personally where they probably don't to others. Which is why this thread is just a baseline for me.

Of course, I can agree to that. Depends on what the story is, and in what manner it is being developed. But yeah, def a baseline.

 

[Raife]

Thoughts on the latest Leaving DNA? I think it was a brilliant episode!

You won't be surprised to hear that I agree entirely: it is a fantastic, adult, story-first game... the polar opposite of a porn game.

The only debate in my mind is whether to characterize Episode 3 as 'the Malena episode' or 'the Colleen episode'.

Without getting into detail or spoilers, Malena is the best sort of LI: willing to call the MC out on his bullshit, but also point him towards his better self. She doesn't need the MC... but she sees that he's worthy of help.

Giving the MC a choice on Colleen, per jufot's comment, is a masterstroke. It means that the player must deliberately choose the less comfortable, painful path in order to find love and a better life. There's no true happiness without pain and vulnerability.

The link between the two is Vega: she reveals that the way the MC sees himself and the superficial front that he presents to the world conceals something darker... more selfish, self-centred and, frankly, weak. The lonely, abandoned child inside... who abandons others.

The Colleen choice... and then what happens afterward in the hallway... took this game to another level. (As well as destroying the risk that the MC would devolve into a Gary Stu.) It was sad, beautiful, and felt absolutely genuine. I've been there... alone, in that hallway.

Fantastic stuff. This is now my favourite game in progress -- surpassing some other worthy contenders (Corporate Culture, Pecker, Hillside, Shards, etc).

Coda: other devs should note the storytelling devices that Impious uses well. For example, he does a brilliant job cutting out extraneous scenes. For example, we didn't need to see the MC and Malena training in the park... but we did need to understand her approach and motivations. Impious _shows_ he doesn't _tell_ via gratuitous dialogue and description. In Episode 2, there were several great scenes with Jamie with _zero_ dialogue: he just showed their interaction and emotions... which was far more effective than unnecessary exposition. Very well done.

 

[Hildegardt]

Giving the MC a choice on Colleen, per jufot's comment, is a masterstroke. It means that the player must deliberately choose the less comfortable, painful path in order to find love and a better life. There's no true happiness without pain and vulnerability.

[...]

The Colleen choice... and then what happens afterward in the hallway... took this game to another level. (As well as destroying the risk that the MC would devolve into a Gary Stu.) It was sad, beautiful, and felt absolutely genuine. I've been there... alone, in that hallway.

Idk... the choices relating to the MC's character are the only thing I'd criticize about LDNA. They're too easy, because they're always binary between the obviously right and obviously wrong. They're especially too easy considering the MC's characterization. Compulsively keeping people at a distance is supposed to be his big flaw, but right from the start we get options to just open up to every single character we meet.
His big flaw is a cop-out in general imo and only adds to the Gary Stu archetype. Hiding behind his work only makes him more successful and the fact that he only opens up on special occasions to special people only makes him more endearing to those people.

 

[Raife]

Idk... the choices relating to the MC's character are the only thing I'd criticize about LDNA. They're too easy, because they're always binary between the obviously right and obviously wrong. They're especially too easy considering the MC's characterization.

I agree, Hilde... your concerns are the same as mine. But my guess is that Impious has plans for the more 'selfish' MC choices that may, actually, appeal to a different sort of player... one that is less interested in relationships and more in sex. At least, that's the impression I got from Episode 3.

My dream scenario is that the choice sets boil down to: (1) a more outwardly successful (maybe even politically successful!) MC, with lots of fuck-buddies but no warmth or closeness to anyone, or (2) a less outwardly successful, happier MC. (I'd be particularly pleased if the threshold for outcome 2 were very high -- in other words, you have to make a lot of 'right' choices to get the 'true end.') That was the flavour I got from Ep. 3. If that continues... well, game on!

There's reason for optimism, though: Impious has been clever, and he has... if anything... increased the sophistication of his plotting and characterization with each episode. Things could still go wrong, but I think he's on the right track.

 

[kotte]

Yeah I just use this thread a general baseline for my personal list of backlog / story first games . As I find I disagree with some of the game they don't consider story first.

For this exact reason, I created a page where I have compiled all F95 games that are mentioned in this thread, complete with links to where they are mentioned.
I use it as a good way to find new material, or to look up what you guys have said about a game when I stumble upon it elsewhere.
Feel free to do the same.

https://f95zone.to/threads/jufots-story-first-thread-compiled.186795/

EDIT:
I got fed up with how the BB code looks, here is an HTML version:

You must be registered to see the links

 

[Sidartha_6]

For this exact reason, I created a page where I have compiled all F95 games that are mentioned in this thread, complete with links to where they are mentioned.
I use it as a good way to find new material, or to look up what you guys have said about a game when I stumble upon it elsewhere.
Feel free to do the same.

https://f95zone.to/threads/jufots-story-first-thread-compiled.186795/

EDIT:
I got fed up with how the BB code looks, here is an HTML version:

You must be registered to see the links

HTML version was exellent!
I was a little bit sad when i saw there was no stories in the root directory...

 

[camube]

For this exact reason, I created a page where I have compiled all F95 games that are mentioned in this thread, complete with links to where they are mentioned.
I use it as a good way to find new material, or to look up what you guys have said about a game when I stumble upon it elsewhere.
Feel free to do the same.

https://f95zone.to/threads/jufots-story-first-thread-compiled.186795/

EDIT:
I got fed up with how the BB code looks, here is an HTML version:

You must be registered to see the links

This compiler you're using, does it only read f95zone link or does it also read patreon link in our posts?

 

[kotte]

HTML version was exellent!
I was a little bit sad when i saw there was no stories in the root directory...

Heh, yes, that site is a work in progress... I have a bunch of stories in a database, I just needed a nice UI for it.
I thought a wordpress site would be the quickest way to finish it, but I just got stuck on a lot of annoying configuration details.
To be continued...

 

[kotte]

This compiler you're using, does it only read f95zone link or does it also read patreon link in our posts?

I had to come up with an easy way to identify what "a reference to a game" was, so I decided that links that point to the games forum on F95 would be easy to test for.
Patreon links could definitely be a future addidtion, although I think most games that are mentioned in the thread either use an F95 link or simply the name (or even an acronym for the more popular ones). If you have a specific post in the thread where a game is mentioned and I don't pick it up, feek free to DM me with a link or write a comment in the compiled story first thread.

 

[purplexel]

I believe my game checks all of these boxes:

Den of the Defiant

 

[Dessolos]

I believe my game checks all of these boxes:

Den of the Defiant

haha I was thinking of this game today I got distracted with other titles I forgot I meant to give this one a try after seeing it on reddit. I just went through my reddit history to find the name of it.

 

[Dathos]

Thoughts on the latest Leaving DNA? I think it was a brilliant episode!

I'll be honest. I don't know that I ever tried this one in the past, because I had no memory of the game or the characters when I downloaded it a few days ago. On the one hand, I feel like I missed what is turning out to be a truly outstanding game. On the other, though, coming in and playing up to chapter three allowed me to experience it all (so far) in one shot, so I could see the character development and discussions without interruption.

I'm quite impressed. The characters all feel quite real (I've known an Armin or two in my life), and the writing makes them feel far more true to life than many of the games I've played. I have a weakness for redheads, so Jamie caught my attention from the get-go (she's a ginger, and so wee, and utterly adorable!), so for the most part I pursued her the most... until Malena entered the scene. I've also got a weakness for strong, confident women, so now I'm conflicted (on a related note, my wife is a strong, confident redhead, so ...). Any game that makes me honestly consider one LI over another based on behavior and story is one I will watch with great interest.

And I agree: episode 3 is brilliant.

 

[jufot]

I have a weakness for redheads, so Jamie caught my attention from the get-go (she's a ginger, and so wee, and utterly adorable!), so for the most part I pursued her the most... until Malena entered the scene. I've also got a weakness for strong, confident women, so now I'm conflicted

That's been my journey as well, though I object to Jaime being wee. She has enough breast tissue to supply 4 Jaime-sized women

Glad you like the game!

 

[Dathos]

That's been my journey as well, though I object to Jaime being wee. She has enough breast tissue to supply 4 Jaime-sized women

Glad you like the game!

I was thinking of her height, not her cleavage. I was pleasantly surprised to see that despite her impressive ... tracts of land ... her body shape is still proportioned properly to support them. That's a rarity. Although, honestly, I'd prefer them to be a bit less generous with the assets. Puts me in the minority, I know, but I'm odd like that. ;-)

 

[jufot]

I'd prefer them to be a bit less generous with the assets. Puts me in the minority, I know, but I'm odd like that. ;-)

Hear hear

 

[Bombmaster]

One thing is true, when we the player notice the lack of pictures in the wall and the dog destiny and now Mc fragile sister, that hit like a ton of bricks.
The star wars ending, Luke I'm your father is strange to say the least and I hope we can be far far away from him.

 

[Deleted member 2577953]

Bought Short Sad Stories on steam and completed the rest of the chapters.

It stayed amazing till the very end. "Coffee Cup" is now one of my favorite vn characters of all time. (And she did it by barely being in the entire second half of the game.)

---

(Maybe it was just the decisions I made in my playthrough, but...)

Initially, it felt like the ending wrapped up a little too neatly for everyone.

Call me cynical, but that was the (only) point in this entire vn where I wondered if the writer pushed things a little too far for the sake of "hope".

But then I told myself that's not actually what happened.

It only felt like a happy ending because they had all come to terms with some important aspect about themselves and/or have someone to rely on this time.

There was still enough stuff for many of them to "work through", and the future remained just as an unpredictable as it ever was.

And then the bloody ending scene (with the whole birthday celebration) happened. And I went, "Yup. There it is."

Sure, it might've been played off as simple gag like moment.

But to me, a very important takeaway from SSS was the fact that - life often throws curve balls at you, and there's never going to be a long-term "everything is resolved now" moment in it.

So, that final gag was just what I needed to get "my perfect ending" for the story. Like saying, "Yup, they screwed up again, but unlike before, they'll be fine this time."



All in all, it was an awesome VN in every way. Really thankful for the recommendation.

 

[EndlessNights]

Thoughts on the latest Leaving DNA? I think it was a brilliant episode!

I also thought it was a truly excellent update. I count buying the game on

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(it will also be released on Steam shortly) as one of the best financial decisions I've made recently.

Spoiler

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I noticed someone on the game thread has started complaining about the trial scenes being too long. Isn't that typical? When a game does something uniquely well, people immediately start campaigning to change and ruin it. I love Leaving DNA's trial scenes. They bring up interesting legal and philosophical issues, they are often emotionally riveting, they give us new insight into Rockford and other characters as they work, and they actually seem well-researched. Definitely several notches above any other trial scenes I've seen in AVNs.

Idk... the choices relating to the MC's character are the only thing I'd criticize about LDNA. They're too easy, because they're always binary between the obviously right and obviously wrong. They're especially too easy considering the MC's characterization. Compulsively keeping people at a distance is supposed to be his big flaw, but right from the start we get options to just open up to every single character we meet.

How exactly would you change things? Do you want there to be more kinetic moments where Rockford keeps people at a distance like with Jamie and Trevor at the theater? Do you want Rockford to more actively overrule a player who is pushing him too far? Do you want the choices to be there but have opening up carry negative immediate consequences? The way I see it it is generally emotionally rewarding to open up and express your feelings in the short run so how things have played out in the game so far have made sense to me so far. In the long run, it can be dangerous to open up and trust others because you can get hurt and used...we don't know for sure that that WON'T happen to Rockford down the line based on our choices though I concede it's probably unlikely.

I want choices to be plausible and to have the potential to have interesting consequences down the line. I would say Leaving DNA meets those standards. A Rockford who acknowledges his flaws and wants to become a better person could believably make an effort to be more open, though whether he can keep it up consistently remains to be seen. I would say there's still plenty he holds back and doesn't proactively share -- Emmeline, for instance, couldn't easily read his reaction to her story and Malena had to do the emotional work to help him sort things out during the date. On the flip side, a Rockford who isn't convinced he needs changing and holds close to his natural inclinations can continue to keep people at a distance. Apart from the Colleen choice, I could easily imagine Rockford making all the choices you probably regard as being obviously wrong. If you want to roleplay him as someone who ultimately doesn't overcome his demons, you totally can and the story would still make sense.

 

[Hildegardt]

How exactly would you change things? Do you want there to be more kinetic moments where Rockford keeps people at a distance like with Jamie and Trevor at the theater? Do you want Rockford to more actively overrule a player who is pushing him too far? Do you want the choices to be there but have opening up carry negative immediate consequences?

I mean, there are already plenty of examples of how to do it better in the game. To be clear, I'm only critisizing the few choices that seemingly skip Rockford's character progression. I see that they're mostly tied to an interest_points variable, but I can't discern a strict structure to the gameplay mechanics, so, if you forced me to change things, I'd probably just remove these choices. After all the number of interest_points needed to progress with a LI can be chosen arbitrarily.

 

[EndlessNights]

I've recently played a couple of new releases that seem potentially quite promising. Neither have much content just yet, but I still found them both worth playing already.

Actual Roommates is a comedy about Violet, a data analyst who moves into a new apartment with three roommates...ACTUAL roommates, that is. It is lighthearted, energetic, fresh, and a lot of fun, but what makes it stand out the most to me is the way the dialogue flows. The conversations -- even over text -- sound natural and authentic. That makes the characters feel really alive even before we know much about them.

Violet is an excellent MC and definitely the most developed character so far. She's fun-loving and friendly, but has faced her fair share of struggles in life including financial hardship, a troubled and turbulent college career, and a breakup with a girlfriend she still seems to have lingering feelings for and who is still very much a part of her life despite the physical distance that currently separates them. I particularly enjoyed seeing a MC who actually seems to like her job, takes it seriously, and talks about it with some enthusiasm.

One thing that makes AR something of a novelty is that it is a lesbian harem game. I don't expect the harem to make much more sense than any other VN harem, but, like Mythos, the game's sense of humor will likely make the odd relationship structure a little easier to accept considering it's far from the only unlikely aspect of the story. After all, the game also stars a cat who has very human thoughts named Sir Francis Giles Blackfang the Fifth (my second favorite character so far after Violet!).

On the plus side, the harem isn't forced, and there will also be solo romantic paths. While AR is primarily a comedy, I think there's definitely some potential for some good drama and heartfelt romance down the line as well. I'm particularly curious to learn more about Violet's relationship with her ex because those two seem to have some unfinished business left to settle.

---

Fallen is about a criminal named Lucas who has recently been released from jail and his tempestuous relationship with the voluble, volatile, and passionate Lola. Both characters are written well, but Lola is the absolute standout here. Whether she's being flirty (not just with Lucas!), manipulative, bossy, teasing, or loving, she demands your attention any time she's on screen and the one thing she always is is unpredictable. Granted, there's some leaning into stereotypes about Latin women at work here, but she's still an amazing and quite unique character in my view.

The precise nature of Lucas and Lola's relationship is a bit mysterious at first play. They clearly have a romantic past, but they had to be either discreet about it or put it on hold due to being married to other people. In any case, Lola is very interested in rekindling things, and it's clear she knows just about everything there is to know about Lucas, including how to read him like a book and play him like a fiddle.

I was shocked to learn from the game thread that there's an incest patch for the game and Lucas and Lola are intended to be brother and sister. I didn't get that vibe AT ALL -- theirs is definitely not the typical sibling dynamic seen in AVNs -- but I suppose it can explain their obviously deep and profound familiarity. It might be the rare incest game that actually makes sense without the patch; thankfully Lola doesn't greet Lucas outside the prison walls with a breezy, "Hi roomie!" The one incestuous couple in fiction that these two remind me of is Felix and Alys Buckman from Philip K. Dick's Flow My Tears, the Policeman Said. The passion, the clash of personalities, and the dysfunction are definitely similar, but perhaps Lola and Lucas won't be as ill-fated.

The branching in Fallen looks like it might be extensive. You can get some quite different scenes and dialogue with different choices, though somehow the platonic route although acknowledged by the game ended up not being very platonic when I attempted it. Maybe Lola is just that irresistible? I personally wasn't too thrilled with the focus on dom and sub points -- Lucas and Lola's relationship dynamic seems way more complicated than that to me, but we'll have to see how it plays out. An alternative protagonist is due to be added at a later date...no idea what to expect there.